


Kanna Alone

by Reaganrose1513



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Cultural Differences, Death, Eagle Hunting, Family, Friendship, Heartbreak, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, In a situation we don't need to be in, Kanna gets a huge Eagle Falcon because I said so, Multi, No beta we die like Roku, Northern Water Tribe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Prostitution mentioned, Self-Discovery, Serious tags come later, Southern Water Tribe, War, Waterbending & Waterbenders, Women Being Awesome, Women Supporting Women, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:33:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28683354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reaganrose1513/pseuds/Reaganrose1513
Summary: The betrothal necklace felt tight around her throat even though it was made to fit her perfectly. It was choking her, strangling the air out of her lungs. She was trapped. Trapped here, trapped with him. Trapped forever.No. No, she wasn't going to take this. She would, she would leave. She would go south as far as south as she could. To their sister tribe away on the other side of the world. That's what she would do.XXXBasically, Kanna's journey from the North to the South story and a little bit beyond.
Relationships: Hama & Kanna (Avatar), Hama/Kanna (Avatar), Kanna & Pakku (Avatar), Kanna & Yugoda (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Kanna Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Voice in my head: Girl, do not write a story about Kanna's journey from the Noth Pole to the Southern Water Tribe, you got so many other WIP.
> 
> Me: I'm not gonna do girl. I was just thinking about it.
> 
> ...
> 
> Me: I did it

"Goda, if you want me to fix this, I'm going to need you to stop bouncing," Kanna said, shooting her friend a look.

"I'm sorry!" Yugoda cried, "I was just so excited, and then my skirt ripped and now-"

"Don't worry, I'm going to make it look it was never torn," Kanna said, pulling her gaze back to her sewing.

The two girls were quiet for a minute before Kanna heard her friend tried and suppressed her laugh as she covered her face.

"I'm getting married!" she squealed, joy crystal clear even with hands muffling her voice.

Kanna sighed but looked up at Yugoda with amusement and said, "Yes, you are, but first, we need to get you through the engagement ceremony."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a voice on the other side call, "Yugoda, it's time. Come on out"

Both girls froze in place. Kanna looked at the rip again before saying, "I'm going to need another minute."

"I just need a few more minutes, Mother," Yugoda yelled.

"No, we need to go now. Your father and everyone else is waiting."

"Mother, please, it won't be much longer, I promise."

There was silence for a moment before Yugoda's mother said, "Fine. One more minute, but if you're not down there soon I-"

"I will be there! I promise!"

They heard footsteps fade away from the door. Kanna did her best to sew quickly but neatly. Once the final stitch was in place, Kanna snapped the thread and stood up.

"Done, like it never happened," she said.

Yugoda held out the skirt of her dress to examine it. A smile broke across her face, and as she jumped down from the step stool, and wrapped her arms around Kanna's neck.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried.

Kanna smiled as she returned the embrace, "You don't need to thank me. What friend would I be if I let you go to your engagement ceremony with a ruined dress?"

When the two pulled apart, Kanna grabbed Yugoda's hands and said, "Come on, let's get you to your father."

They rushed down the hall to where they found Yugoda's father waited. He turned and looked at them, and at the sight of his daughter, a smile grew across his face.

"Look at you, my dear," he said, holding out his arms to embrace her quickly, "You're radiant."

"Thank you, Father," Yugoda said, "Kanna helped me get ready."

"Ah, did she?" he said, looking at the other teen, "I imagine if that's the case, your parents are wonder where you are. You should join them again before the ceremony."

Kanna nodded her head before turning to Yugoda one more time and hugging her.

"Congratulation," she whispered to her friend before letting her go to head downstairs.

Almost everyone who lived in Agna Qel'a had their engagement ceremony in the Northwestern Temple. It was a place large enough to hold both parties' families, clans, and friends who came to watch the couple's official engagement, and with the open roof of the central part of the temple, it allowed for the Moon to shine over them. Allowing the spirits to witness the event as well. It was also where the shamans and Water Sages came to teach and do their business.

Kanna had seen bigger engagement ceremonies, but the crowd at Yugoda's was still impressive. Nuniq's father sat on the High Council, same as her's, so that meant all the council members and their families were here, as well as the chief and his family. Not only that, but Yugoda and her family were from the Black Sea Clan, one of the biggest in the whole Northern Water Tribe.

Thankful, Kanna found her family easy to spot as they were towards the front of the hall. Unfrocanatly that meant with almost everyone in their seats, her entrance was fairly noticeable.

"Where on earth have you been?" Mother asked her in a hushed voice, as Kanna took her to place between her brother and grandmother.

"Yugoda needed help," Kanna replied in the same volume, trying to express that she wasn't trying to make herself noticeable.

"Doesn't she have a mother for that?" Aklaq asked, giving her an annoyed disapproving look.

"Don't you have a wife to sit next to?" Kanna snapped back at her older brother, noticing that Opik was nowhere to be seen. Again

"Enough," their father said, his tone low and neutral but clear in his authority. 

Kanna sat forward and huffed quietly to herself. Next to her, Gran Gran Qaiyaan chuckled and patted her arm affectionately.

Before long, the drums began, and they watched as Nuniq and his mother walk into the hall. As they reached the end, where the shame waited for them, Kanna noticed that Nuniq's mother had tears in her eye. Happy, of course, based on the smile she wore. She kissed her son's cheek before leaving Nuniq's side to join her family. Then it was time for Yugoda and her father to come in.

As they walked by, Kanna could help my smirk to herself. She really had done a good job at fix the dress. You could even tell it had been ruined. Which was the whole point.

But she pushed down that small bubble of pride as she watched Yugoda's father step away from her. The same bittersweet look on his face that Nuniq's mother had worn. Even if you were in the far back of the hall, you wouldn't miss how big both Nuniq and Yugoda were smiling. You would have thought they were actually getting married tonight.

If she could remember right, Kanna was pretty sure the Yugoda had been in love with Nuniq since they were twelve. When Nuniq would train in waterbending classes with Yugoda's brother, the other girl would drag Kanna to watch them practice. They started courting when they were fourteen, with permission from their parents. Couples that age weren't allowed to be alone when they courted, so Yugoda roped Kanna into being their chaperone, meaning she witnessed a great deal of their relationship. Whether she wanted to or not.

But Nuniq was nice, Kanna would admit it. He cared about Yugoda almost as much as she did him. He respected her too as a healer and actually encouraged her to go further in her studies. They were lucky, Kanna thought. So few people were in love when their parents arranged them. Even fewer people who fell in love were able to get married to that person.

The ceremony itself was like any other. The shamen called upon the spirits to witness this gathering. Then each half of the couple presented the gifts that they had already given the other. Nuniq's gift was a whalebone dagger and of course, Yugoda's gift was her betrothal necklace. It was a beautiful thing. The center stone was a dark blue shade with a healing symbol carved into it, and instead of just a bare strap of fur or leather, there were alternating pieces of bear teeth and glass beads.

The shamen asked if both Yugoda and Nuniq's family and clans if they accepted this engagement, which they did. Then the couple was asked if they accepted the engagement; again, it was. Once more, the shamen called upon the spirits for any intervention or blessings. When Tui and La struck no one down, it was asked if anyone did not accept the union of Yudoga and Nuniq. Once again, there were no objections. With that, it was done. Nuniq and Yudoga were officially and publicly engaged. The future marriage was blessed in the eyes of the spirits, and there'd be no going back if anyone wanted to.

After the ceremony was over, all the guests talked among themselves and congratulated the couple on their engagement. Kanna had been waiting for almost an hour now to congratulated her friend and fiancee again properly. She finally saw that no one was talking to them, and there was no one else going to approach; she made her move before she felt someone grab her arm.

"Dad," Kanna whined as he pulled her in the opposite direction.

"You'll have plenty of time for that later," he insisted, "But for now, I want you to meet someone."

They reached a man around Dad's age and a boy maybe a year or two older than Kanna. She'd seen him before; she was sure of it. He was probably a boy from one of the waterbending schools she had to walk by to get to her healing lessons. He was taller than her, which uncommon, seeing as Kanna was pretty tall for a girl her age. He also started at her in a way she could describe. It wasn't quite creepy, but she didn't know what to call his look.

"Kanna," her father said, "This is Master Toklo. Master, this is my daughter Kanna."

"It's nice to meet you," she said, forcing a smile, poorly hide the fact she had no idea what was going on.

The master smiled back at her, not seeming to notice Kanna's confusion, "Likewise, my dear. This is my son," he said, gesturing to the boy next to him, "Pakku."

Kanna turned and nodded to the boy, who nodded back. She still didn't know how to describe the look on his face.

"Your father tells us you've been trained in healing," Master Toklo said.

"Um, yes," Kanna said, "I'm not a bender, but Master Chikuk say I might be considered a master healer in a few more years."

Master Toklo nodded his head and then said, "And I hear you eagle hunt."

"Yes," Kanna said, nodding her head a bit, "I'm on my second bird. She and I make quite the team."

The older man nodded and kept asking her questions about things like what she learned back when she was in school, what other activities she did, and how often she went out. It stayed like this for almost half an hour or so. 

There was a part of Kanna that could help but feel like she was being interrogated or examined. For what, she had no idea. But from the way, Master Toklo was asking her questions and how his son was looking at her, and the nods of encouragement from her father to keep talking about herself, Kanna could only guess. She didn't like any of the ideas she came up with.

Finally, her father patted her shoulder and said, "I think it's time you go and congratulate Yugoda and Nuniq."

Kanna nodded, relieved she could finally leave, but before she did, she turned to Master Toklo and his son and said, "It was a pleaser to meet you both."

"Believe me, the pleaser was all ours," Master Toklo said.

Kanna bowed her head before hurrying off, still unsure what that was all about.

~X~

Eagle hunting was one of the only forms of hunting women in the Northern Water Tribe could do. And Kanna loved it more than anything. She loved working and training her birds and take them out for hunts. Eagle-falcons were such powerful, intelligent animals. How could you not admire them? Because she and her family lived in the city, Kanna and Aput did not hunt as much as either of them would like. However, Kanna did take Aput out every day so she could fly and stretch her wings out.

The birdhouse was on the roof of their family home. Aput lived there alone, but she had plenty of space to hop around and sleep, but not fly. Kanna opened the door just a crack and saw Aput waiting on her perch. The massive white bird cocked her head to the side and looked at her master. Slowly Kanna placed the blinded over Aput's eyes and placed her gloved hand in front of her feet to steep on. Once standing on the glove, Kanna tried the holding rope around Aput's leg, and they walked out of the birdhouse.

Once outside, Kanna made her way to the edge of the roof. Looking down to the ground, Kanna saw people walking around in the snow paths and boats paddling around in the canals. Everyone busy to get somewhere or to get work done. Looking back at Aput, she untied the rope and removed the blinders.

"Ready to go, girl?" Kanna asked.

Aput let out a squawked and made a nuzzling movement with her head towards Kanna's face.

The girl chuckled and said, "I'll take that as a yes."

With that, Kanna threw the arm that held Aput into the air, helping the bird take off. 

Watching the bird make it into the sky and begin gliding on airwaves would never get old to Kanna. Seeing Aput free in the sky stirred feelings in her that wasn't like any other. Seeing her so free and able to do whatever she wanted gave Kanna this weird sense of hope.

After around an hour or so flying, Kanna called Sesi back to her. Gracefully as ever, Aput landed right back on Kanna's gloved arm.

"Good girl," Kanna said, pulling out a piece of seal-turtle meat for Sesi to eat while Kanna got the holding rope in place, then the blinders.

As she was stroking Aput's neck, trying to make sure she was calm before she was placed back inside, a voice from out of nowhere said loudly, "Nice bird."

Kanna let out a small gasp and jumped in, surprised, and because of her shock, it cause Aput to panic. The eagle-falcon wildly flapped her huge wings, sometimes hitting Kanna in the face as her arm with the holding rope was pulled in the air. It took her some time to pull Aput back to her and calm her down. Carefully stroking her neck and whispering, 'It's okay, it's okay' over and over again. When Aput was somewhat calmer, Kanna turned to see who in the hell thought it was a good idea to yell at her and her bird.

It was Master Toklo's son from the other night. Pakku.

"What the hell are-! what are you-?" Kanna began, trying so hard not to cuss and cures too much, "Why in the hell- Why would you do that?!"

"I didn't plan on that happening," the boy almost snapped back, "I didn't know he'd freak out like that."

" _She_ ," Kanna said, using all her will power not to growl, "is a massive bird with acute hearing, wearing blinders, and you snuck up on her master. What did you think would happened?"

"I didn't sneak up on you," Pakku said, crossing his arms.

Kanna's jaw dropped just a little, and she looked at him like he was the dumbest man alive. And maybe he was.

"Are you kidding me? How did you even-" she stopped and took a deep breath, and asked again, "How did you even get up here?"

"Your mother sent me up here."

"Why would she-?" Kanna stopped herself and took another breath, "You know what? I don't care. How long were you there _watching_ me?"

"For the love of Tui and La, I wasn't just up here staring at you in silence for an hour," he said

"I don't know that."

Pakku rolled his eyes and said, "I got up here just as you were calling her back. Happy?"

Far from it, but Kanna knew better than to say that out loud.

"Why are you here?" she asked, turning back to Aput.

"My father sent me over."

"Why?"

Pakku didn't reply to that, and when Kanna looked back at him, she saw that he had the same look on his face that he had the first time she saw him, although now, she had a name for his expression. He was studying her. Watching her every move and action.

For a while, they didn't talk. They both just seemed to glare at each other for a bit.

Then, after a while, Pakku asked, "What's _her_ name?"

Kanna looked at him and answered, "Aput."

"She any good at hunting?"

Kanna scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Don't insult us."

There was quiet again before Pakku said, "She seems to trust you a lot."

Kanna looked at him and asked, "Do you have any idea on how eagle hunting work?

"Look," he said, "I-"

Kanna didn't even let him finish his sentence, she just went on to say, "She trusts me, and I trust her. We're a team working together to catch our prey. She had faith that I will care for her, and I have faith that will capture our game."

But Kanna trusted Aput more than that. If she was to hold out her bare arm for the bird to perch upon, she trusted that Aput's talons would not harm her. And Kanna had held Aput on her bare arm and was left without injury. She hadn't trusted her last bird, Hanta, in that way, and she doubted once Aput was free, she ever have a bond like that with any other bird.

After placing Aput back in the birdhouse, removing the holding rope and blinders, Kanna turned back to look at Pakku.

"Why did your father send you over here?" she asked again.

"I don't know," Pakku said.

Kanna tsked as she took off her protective glove and said, "You know, growing up, my Gran Gran told me liers go to hell."

"Growing up, my grandmother told me women weren't supposed to curse," he replied.

"Well, I guess our grandmothers are two very different women," was all Kanna had to say to that, as she looked up towards the sky.

They were quiet again. When Kanna looked back at Pakku, she found him studying her again. She decided she hated it now.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, "Because if not, I have to be getting back to helping my mother."

She started to make her way back inside the house, but Pakku grabbed her arm before she could. Kanna looked at him as watched as he pulled something out of the pocket of his parka and pressed it into Kanna's hand. She looked and saw that it was a message scroll.

"Give that to your father," Pakku said, "Tell him it's from mine."

"What's it for?" she asked.

"No idea."

 _Lie_ , Kanna thought to herself as she pulled out of Pakku's grasp and went inside.

~X~

When she was a little girl, one of Kanna's favorite things was having her Gran Gran do her hair. She remembered how she kneeled in front of her grandmother and how the older woman would carefully brush her hair and braid it while telling her stories of the spirits and the world before the war. Kanna liked those stories the most. Stories of a time when the North wasn't so closed off from the rest of the world. Stories of the friends Gran Gran used to have from all over the globe, especially stories of her best friend Nyima, an Air Nomad.

But Gran Gran was old now. Her voice gone, only laughs ever leaving her lips now and then. She shook whenever she moved, whether it was raising her hand or walking along with her whalebone cane. Her long hair was now snow-white, not dark gray as it had been in Kanna's childhood, and thinner as well due to age.

Even so, Kanna took just as much, if not more, care into doing her Gran Gran's hair just as the older woman did with her.

"You do a really good job, Nana," Auka whispered, with big eyes as she watched Kanna work.

"One day, I'm going to be just as good as braiding as you and Mommy!" Imona claimed, jumping up.

Kanna smiled at her sister's antics and said, "I'm sure you will. You'll be even better than Mother and me."

"Me too, Nana?" Auka asked. She was four, yet she still couldn't say Kanna's name right and continued to call her 'Nana' thought it wasn't really a problem.

"Ah-uh," she said, "You'll both be so good, you'll have to do my hair for me.

Both girls giggled at the idea of doing their older sister's hair. It wasn't long until Kanna was finished, and she held the looking glass up for her grandmother to see herself.

"Is this good, Gran Gran?" she asked.

The older women smiled and nodded her head best she could. Kanna smiled back and kissed the top of Gran Gran's head.

"Oh, do me next! Do me next!" Imona cried.

"Want my hair done too!" Auka said, jumping.

Just as Kanna was about to reply to that, Ukiuk came into the room and said, "Mother says dinners done."

"Aww," both girls moaned, disappointed they have to wait.

"You heard him," Kanna said, standing up, "Go wash your hand and head down there. Ukiuk, help me with Gran Gran."

All the younger children did as their older sister said. As her little sisters ran down the halls, Kanna heard them giggle and talk about who would get their hair done first after dinner. Kanna and Ukiuk stood on either side of Gran Gran as they helped her to her feet and out of the room. Gran Gran could walk without help from others, it just took her some time. But Mother had a horrible fear of Gran Gran falling if she walked by herself and always made sure that at least one of them was with her when she did.

When they reach the dinner table, Kanna noticed that her mother seemed to cook a little bit of everyone's favorites. The soft cook seal-turtle eggs with salt the way Gran Gran liked them. Muktuk and fired fish that Kanna loved, and plenty of akutaq that was sure to make all three of the younger kids go crazy.

As good as it all looked, Kanna could help be feel suspicious. This was the type of cooking Mother did on the Winter Solstices or other holidays. She wouldn't just be making all of this just because. Something had to be going on.

"They better not be having another baby," Kanna muttered to herself, hoping Gran gran wouldn't hear. Now Kanna loved her younger siblings very much, but five children had to be enough kids for anyone, right? Plus, her parents were getting old. Like really old.

Regardless Kanna sat down at her spot next to Gran Gran, and soon enough, Auka was snuggling up to her other side. Not long after, dinner began. It was normal; her siblings chattered on about their days or random thoughts that came to mind. Now and then, Kanna would glance up at her parents and see if the was any hint of what was going on. There was this sort of sparkle in her Mother's eyes every time she would catch the young girl looking at her.

Kanna was helping Imona and Auka get their second serving of akutaq when their Father cleared his throat and said, "So Master Toklo's son."

Ever so slowly Kanna looked up at her father and said, "What about him?"

"What do you think of him?"

"He's fine, I guess," Kanna said, pass her sisters the bowls back. She then turned to her mother and asked, "Why did you send him up the other day?"

"What?" Mother asked.

"The other day when he was over here," Kanna said, "He told me you sent him up while I was working with Aput. Why did you send him up?"

"He asked how you were, so I said he could go see you for himself.

Kanna was about to ask why when she noticed how much her mother was smiling. She seemed ready to burst with giddiness. Her father wore a similar smile, and for some reason, it put Kanna on edge.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking back and forth between them.

Finally, Mother turned to Dad and said, "Oh, just tell her, Siluk."

Her father counted to smile and said, "Master Toklo and I have been talking for some time. And after me meeting his son and him meeting you, we, along with your mother and Master Toklo's wife, have decided that you and Pakku would make a fine match and have begun the working in having you two arranged to be married."

Mother clapped her hands together, "Isn't that wonderful?"

Kanna felt her mouth dry, and her whole body went cold. Her mind went blank. She felt frozen in place. She couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't speak. All she could do was sit there in shock.

"I-" she began.

"But Nana can't get married!" Auka cried, standing up, "I miss her too much!"

"Yeah!" Imona cried, "Kanna can't get married! If she does, she'll have to move out, and then who's going to help me with my singing lessons?"

"Mommy, Daddy, please don't let Nana get married!" Auka cried, tears now in her eyes as her arms wrapped around Kanna's neck tightly.

"Girls, Kanna's still going to be around," Ukiuk said, trying to get them to calm down, be he himself look taken aback by the news.

"That's right," Mother said, "And the wedding won't be for another three months at least."

Three months, Kanna thought. _Three months._

"No!" Auka sobbed, "Nana can't get married!"

"Auka-" their father began.

"May I be excused?" Kanna asked, her worlds coming back to her. 

Everyone at the table looked at her. Kanna could feel and hear her heart beating in her ears. Her parents looked at each other before Dad nodded. Carefully she peeled Auka's arms off her neck as she stood up left the room. Left the house. She didn't even grab her parka. She just walked right out the door. 

She stayed on the snow paths, walking with no place in mind. Then at some point, she began running. Running from who and what she didn't know, but every bit of her being was telling her to run, and run far, so she did. She would have kept running, but she came across a canal and almost fell in. With a panting breath and shaking body, Kanna sunk to her knees. Her hand grabbed the snow under her as she tried to grab hold of her thoughts, of her breath, of her emotions, anything.

She was so stupid. How did she not put the pieces together sooner? The way Master Toklo asked her question. The way Pakku had looked at her both times they had met. She was eighteen, she should have known her parents would have been looking for a husband for her. Now that Aklaq was married (unhappily, some would add) and had a child on the way, it was obvious that Kanna would be next.

Her throat felt like it was growing tight as her vision got blurry. She was crying. She hid her face in her hands and just sat there crying, still trying to process, trying to understand what she felt. But she didn't know. She didn't know what she felt.

Then it hit her. 

And with weak knees and teary eyes, Kanna stood up and realized that she felt like she was in a trap.

**Author's Note:**

> As you may have read in the tags, the more serious will show up later, and there will be trigger warnings when those chapters come.
> 
> I'm dyslexic, so sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. You can check me out on Tumblr if you want. I'm: love-hello-i-m-reagan.
> 
> If you like this story, please leave a comment below and have a wonderful rest of your day, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals. Until next time!


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